Old Testament Commentary - Psalms 87

by Don R. Hender

The whole of people of God, the pure in heart make up Zion in whatever time and place throughout time they may be. Enoch's city achieve the state of a 'Zion People'. So did Melchizedek and his people. Other may have also, we do not know. But certainly today, in these latter-days we are of a Zionistic movement, which is to prepare for the Second Coming of the Lord and when He comes He will rule and reign in Zion.
The ultimate Zion which the psalm speaks is that final state and end in which this earth's Second Estate probation will come to its last thousand years, the Millennial Zion. The Millennial Zion and the Lord coming to rule and reign in that Zion is one of the central doctrines of the Old, New and Modernern scriptures of the Lord. We who are earnestly seeking the Lord are seeking Zion. And in particular there are certain mentions of items which do apply to this Zion of the cumminating latter-days.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial] Commentary & Explanation Footnotes ~ References ~ JST

CHAPTER 87
The Lord loves the gates of Zion and he himself shall establish her.

A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah.

1 HIS ^afoundation is in the holy mountains^a.
2 The LORD loveth the ^agates of ^bZion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.
1^a His foundation is in the holy mountains Most frequently God appears, ministers from and establishes his people upon 'mountain' heights, which are symbolically nearer to Heaven. Certainly this is true of the Zion of the latter-days which has been established in the 'Tops of the Rocky Mountains' of the promised land of Joseph, to the end of ushering in the Millennium and Second Coming of the Lord. From thence is the latter-day kingdom of Zion to roll forth filling the ends of the earth, to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. And the house of the Lord is to be established there and in every location where there is a Zion people, does the Lord establish His Holy House in His Holy 'Mountains' or 'High Places of Worship'.

4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.
5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her^a.
6 The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.
5^a the highest himself shall establish her Let there be not doubt, that Christ is the Head of His Church and Kingdom. And the establishment of Zion is by His Hand in whatever time and dispensation of time it has been established. Joseph Smith and all the modern apostles and prophets have been great men, but they have only been the insturments in the hand of the Lord, who does rule and govern over all his kingdom. Christ appeared unto Joseph Smith to begin this latter-day work. Christ sent his holy messengers and angels to administer this work upon the earth. It was Christ who did appear in the Kirtland Temple to accept it as His House of the Restoration and then others came restoring the keys of this work of the Lord. And it is Christ who does govern and administer the work of this His Kingdom today. 'The highest himself' is in charge. It is 'the highest himself who has, does and who shall establish Zion. We we gain that perspective that we are but servants of the most high, and the work is his. Then we can move forward in and through the power of the Lord in furthering his work and taking the Kingdom of God to all the world, that according to the covenant of Abraham, that through his seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. And one 'SEED' in particular is that 'SEED' which has been given to bless all of mankind, and that is Jesus Christ, known as Jehovah in the Old Testament and who will be known by his own name David as the King of the Millennial Reign.

7 As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my ^asprings are in thee.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 87 The Lord loves the gates of Zion and he himself shall establish her.
A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah.
1 HIS ^afoundation is in the holy mountains^a. 2 The LORD loveth the ^agates of ^bZion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.	1^a His foundation is in the holy mountains Most frequently God appears, ministers from and establishes his people upon 'mountain' heights, which are symbolically nearer to Heaven. Certainly this is true of the Zion of the latter-days which has been established in the 'Tops of the Rocky Mountains' of the promised land of Joseph, to the end of ushering in the Millennium and Second Coming of the Lord. From thence is the latter-day kingdom of Zion to roll forth filling the ends of the earth, to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. And the house of the Lord is to be established there and in every location where there is a Zion people, does the Lord establish His Holy House in His Holy 'Mountains' or 'High Places of Worship'.
4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there. 5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her^a. 6 The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.	5^a the highest himself shall establish her Let there be not doubt, that Christ is the Head of His Church and Kingdom. And the establishment of Zion is by His Hand in whatever time and dispensation of time it has been established. Joseph Smith and all the modern apostles and prophets have been great men, but they have only been the insturments in the hand of the Lord, who does rule and govern over all his kingdom. Christ appeared unto Joseph Smith to begin this latter-day work. Christ sent his holy messengers and angels to administer this work upon the earth. It was Christ who did appear in the Kirtland Temple to accept it as His House of the Restoration and then others came restoring the keys of this work of the Lord. And it is Christ who does govern and administer the work of this His Kingdom today. 'The highest himself' is in charge. It is 'the highest himself who has, does and who shall establish Zion. We we gain that perspective that we are but servants of the most high, and the work is his. Then we can move forward in and through the power of the Lord in furthering his work and taking the Kingdom of God to all the world, that according to the covenant of Abraham, that through his seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. And one 'SEED' in particular is that 'SEED' which has been given to bless all of mankind, and that is Jesus Christ, known as Jehovah in the Old Testament and who will be known by his own name David as the King of the Millennial Reign.
7 As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my ^asprings are in thee.